Fire screen



9 @440 F. G. WALLENTA 2,338,219

FIRESCREEN Filed June 5, 194-1 H l i l I I M r'o ozozb llllllllll' IN VEN TDR FHEDEHIC'KEIWALLEN 5y ATTDHNE Y Patented Jan. 4, 1944 7 Claims.

This invention relates to fire place construc tions, and particularly to a fire screen that is adapted to be built into the fire box of a fire place, and one that contains no parts that are apt to wear out, break or require adjustment during the life of the structure.

Fire screens of the built-in type have heretofore included relatively complicated structures for counterbalancing their weight to maintain them at desired elevations. Others provide complicated roll mechanisms for rolling the screen to effect its elevation. All of these prior-known built-in fire screens contain mechanism that frequently breaks, gets out of order or wears out, requirin substantial dismantlement of the entire fire place in order to repair the screen and its attending mechanism.

An object of this invention is to provide a builtin fire screen that overcomes the above and other dilficulties attending the use of prior-known fire screens. I

Other objects of the invention include the provision of a fire screen that can be maintained at any desired elevation without employing counterweights, roll mechanism, etc.; the provision of a fire-place screen that contains no moving parts that are apt to break, require repair or adjustment; the provision of a fire-place screen which is adapted to be held at desired elevations by means providing friction between tracks and screen, and which is effective throughout the entire travel of the screen; and the provision of a fire-place screen adapted to slide in tracks, portions of each of which tracks are in different planes.

The above, other objects and novel features of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following specification and ac-v companying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a fire place including a fire screen embodying the principles of this invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional elevational view taken substantially along line 2-2 of'Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a partial sectional plan view taken substantially along line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a sectional elevational view of a modification of the structure shown in Figure 2.

Referring to Figure 2, the fire place comprises a fire box I including a throat portion I I that is formed by a lintel I2 anchored in opposite side walls of the fire box. Walls I3 and I4 extend upwardly from the throat II and form a fiue I5. shown in Figure 2, the construction provides UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIRE SCREEN Frederick G. Wallenta, Stratford, Conn.

Application June 3, 1941, Serial No. 396,387

a substantial space I6 between the wall ll of the room and the wall I3 of the flue I5.

A space I8 (Figs. 2 and 3) at the mouth of the fire box Ill is adapted to receive a track member I9. The track I9 is of generally channel shape with flanges 20 located along its side walls. The space I8 is adapted to be filled with cement in which track member I9 is adapted to be securely anchored.

The track member I9 is adapted to extend vertically upwardly to a point 2| above the lintel I2 where it is curved, extending into space I6. The upper extremity of track I9 is connected to a cross member 22 that is likewise connected to the top of an identical track member at the opposite side of the fire box It]. The cross member 22 is securely fixed to the wall I3 of fiue I5 by cementing or otherwise. Accordingly, the lower portion of track members I9 are securely fastened to opposite walls of the fire box II! by the cement in the spaces I8, and the upper portions of said track members are maintained in fixed position by cross bar 22.

A relatively heavy wire screen 23 is fastened at its lower end to a rigid cross member 24. The opposite ends of the cross member 24 are adapted to fit and slide within the channels of track members I9. Additionally, the screen 23 is provided with relatively stiff selvaged edges that likewise ride within the channels of track members I9. The length of the screen 23 is such that a portion of its selvaged edges at all times cooperate with the curved portion 2| of the tracks I9. The curvature 2| of tracks I9 is sharp enough to provide sufiicient friction between it and the screen to maintain the screen at any elevation to which it is moved. However, the curvature 2! is gradual enough to permit sliding of the screen along the tracks I9 when the same is raised by grasping handles 25 fixed to cross member 24. V

The fire place is finished off in the usual manner by providing a mantle 26, tile 21 and finishing members28. The tiles 21 are set in the cement within spaces I8 and effectively cover thetrack members I9.

Referring to Figure 4, a modification of the invention is disclosed wherein the Wall 29 of the flue I5 is so constructed that relatively little space is provided between it and the room wall II. In this form of the invention, each track member I9 is provided with a curvilinear portion 30 between two portions that lie in the same plane. In this form, as in that shown in Figure 2, the length of screen 23 is such that a portion of its seivaged edges always cooperates with the curvilinear portion 30 of each track l9, thereby providing friction between it and the screen to maintain the latter at all times at any desired elevation.

Although the principles of the invention have been described in detail to illustrate two forms of the invention, it is evident that changes may be made in such details, and certain features may be used without others without, departing from the principles of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A fire screen for a fire place comprising in combination, a track member adapted to be secured along a side wall of a fire box; a flexible screen having a selvaged edge adapted to fit within said track member; said track member having.

means providing a concentrated frictional engagement with successive small portions only of said selvaged edge when said screen is raised and lowered to thereby maintain at least a substantial portion of said screen at any desired elevation.

2. A fire screen for a fire. place. comprising in combination, a track member adapted to be secured along a side wall of a fire box, extending from the hearth thereof to a point substantially above the lintel of said fire box and having a portion in a differentplane from the remainderand a relatively-sharp curvilinear portion joining the portions in different planes; and a flexible screen having a side edge located Within said track, a portion of said edge being at all times in engagement with said relatively-sharp curvilinear portion, said relatively-sharp curvilinear portion only of said-track providing sufficient friction between said screen and track member to maintain at least a substantial portion of said screen inany desired elevation.

3. In a fire place construction, a trackv member adapted to be secured along a side ofv a fire box, including a substantially vertically-disposed portion and an angularly-disposedportion joined thereto by a relatively-sharp connecting member; and a flexible screen having a side edge adapted to ride in said track member, the edge of said screen being at all times in cooperativeengagement with said connecting member, the relatively-sharp portion only thereof providingsufficient friction between the track and said screen to maintain at least a substantial portion ofsaid screen in any desired position.

4. In a fire place construction, a track member adapted to be secured along a side of a. fire box, the length of said track member being substantially greater than twice the vertical dimension of said fire box from the hearth to the lintel thereof; said track member including a substantially vertical portion extending from the bottom to a point above the lintel of said fire box, the remainder of said track member being joined to said vertical portion by a relatively-sharp connecting portion; and a flexible screen having a side edge adapted to ride freely in said track member, a portion of the screen being at all times in cooperative engagement with the relativelysharp connecting portion of said track member, whereby suificient friction is provided between said edge and said connecting portion to maintain at least a substantial portion of said screen at any desired elevation.

5. In a fire place construction, a continuous track member having a length greater than substantially twice that of the vertical dimension of the opening of said fire place between its hearth and lintel, aportion of which track is substantially straight. and a portion of which is sharply curved relatively to said straight portion; a part of the straight portion of said track member being adapted to be secured to the wall forming the opening of said fire place; a flexible screen having an edge adapted to ride freely in the straight portion of said track member, a portion of said edge of the screenbeing at all times in cooperative engagement with the sharply curved portion of saidtrack member, whereby sufiicient friction is provided between said edge and said sharply curved portion only of said member to maintain at least asubstantial portion of said screen at desired elevations.

6. In a fireplace construction, a track member adapted to be secured along a side of a fire box, the length of said track member being substantially greater than twice the vertical dimension of said fire boxfrom its hearth to its lintel; said track member including substantially straightline separated portions joined by a relativelysharp curvilinear portion; and a flexible screen having an edge adapted to ride freely in said sep-, arated track, portions, a portion of said edge of said screen beingat all times in cooperative engagement with the relatively-sharp curvilinear portion of said track member, whereby sufiicient friction is provided between said edge and said relatively-sharp curvilinear portion only to maintain at least a substantial portion of said screen at desired elevations.

'7. -In a fire place construction having a fire box; afiue, therefor and a wall substantially fiush with the outer extremity of said fire box and spaced from said flue; a track member located adjacentsaid wall and fire box and including a portion extending from the bottom of said fire box upwardly in a. single plane to a point above the top of said fire box; an additional portion of said. track member extending upwardly within thespace between said flue and wall, and lying in a plane at an angle to, the first-mentioned portion of said track member; a relatively-sharp curvilinear portion joining said angularly-related track portions; and a flexible screen having an edge adapted to ride freely in said track portions, said edge being at. all times in cooperative engagement with said sharp curvilinear joining portion, whereby, sufficient friction is provided between said edge and said curvilinear portion only to maintain at least asubstantial portion of said screen at desired elevations.

FREDERICK G. VVALLENTA. 

